BBC

Addressing chronic under-representation of BME staff at senior grades

The BBC brought in EW Group to design and deliver a series of workshops and action learning sets for its BME positive action mentoring programme, RISE.

The broadcaster was under pressure from the UK media and leading entertainers over the lack of BME representation at senior levels. As part of its response, the BBC assigned a group of BME mentees to in-house mentors who would provide career development guidance over a 12-month period.

We trained BBC mentors and their mentees in intercultural dialogue and unconscious bias.

Working closely with the BBC’s Diversity team, we custom-built separate sessions for mentors and mentees. The aim: to ensure all participants would get maximum benefit out of RISE, and for the mentees to make recognised career advancements as a result.

Developing skills to open up important conversations inside and between departments

Encouraging knowledge-sharing and inspiration

Profile-raising

Building awareness of unwritten rules and other barriers that might bar BME advancement

Using the right strategies to push back against traditional models of selection, including unconscious bias in the interview process.

All participants left with a practical toolkit to support them in being the best possible mentor or mentee. Every mentee also left the training with a comprehensive career development plan.

38% of the first cohort achieved recognised career development moves after just three months.

After the success of the first cohort, the BBC recommissioned EW Group to deliver on-going training to new mentors and mentees.

Over 100 people have benefited from the programme so far.

"The mentoring programme highlighted how crucial it is for us to tackle diversity problems head-on and the course provided a clear idea of how to get the best out of the mentor-mentee relationship."Babita Sharma, BBC News Presenter and RISE Programme Mentor